


A Call Home

by ApurricatingCat



Series: Road Trip AU [2]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-17
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-12-16 16:19:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11832429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApurricatingCat/pseuds/ApurricatingCat
Summary: Credence makes a call home to talk to his sisters.





	A Call Home

They’d parked somewhere along I-80, off in some tiny, sleepy town. Credence couldn’t even recall the name. It barely felt real, sleepy people running a diner, and a gas station that doubled as a motel. There might have been a little grocery store, but Credence hadn’t thought much about it past when Newt had said he needed to look for one, see if they could get groceries. Credence, guiltily, hadn’t been listening. 

He was gripping Newt’s cell phone in his hands, fingers fluttering nervously over the screen. It had been a long time since he’d left with Newt, nearly a year. He wanted to check in on his sisters. He’d disappeared without a word and no way to get in contact with him. He’d sent post cards. A few of them. Usually with little written on them. 

_Newt and I visited the beach today. Hope you’re well. Much love. —C_

__

__

I’ve never been anywhere as big or loud as this city. It’s overwhelming. It’s incredible. Much love —C 

_The mountains here are incredible. Newt keeps taking pictures of me though. Wish you were here. Much love —C_

What else was he supposed to say. He didn’t even know if Mary Lou would let them see, if she happened to get the mail. He wanted to hear from them, if he was being honest. He missed them with an ache in his chest. A weight. Chastity and Modesty were the only things he regretted leaving. But he was good. So much better. Every minute had been worth it. 

Credence was sitting on the stairs right outside the door, rubbing a finger against the rusted metal, gnawing on his bottom lip until it was raw. In the distance, he could hear the occasional truck or car drive by on the interstate. The summer sun was hot, setting, but still almost stifling in its dry heat. There was a faint breeze, ruffling Credence’s hair, curling long, clean, and soft past his shoulders now. He sighed and rested his chin on his knees, still messing with the cellphone. Debating. His heart was pounding loud and hard. He wanted to so badly. He was so nervous to. 

Across the cracked and faded parking lot was a field, golden, rustling. He wondered what it’d have been like if Modesty and Chastity were with him. He could imagine them running through the grass, weaving crowns of it, plopping a golden crown of wheat or cat tails on Credence’s head. He’d be picking the seeds from his hair for weeks. He smiled a little, imagining Newt with one to match. They’d be tanned from time spent outside rather than stuck inside the church. Their golden hair might be bleached pale from the sun, all freckles and tanned skin and bright smiles. He groaned and put his head in his hands.

Newt stepped out behind him, bent low to press a kiss to the top of Credence’s head. “Everything alright?” 

Credence sighed softly and straightened up and turned, leaning up to catch a soft kiss. It made his insides flutter every time, even now. “I want to call my sisters.” He said softly, bumping his forehead against Newt’s.

Newt paused a moment, head tilted to the side. Not much had been said about Credence’s family since they’d left. Newt didn’t want to pry. Credence would tell him in time if he wanted to. The scars, Newt was rather intimately acquainted with and that’s about where it ended. “I think if you want to do that it’s ab brilliant idea.” He said, affectionately cupping Credence’s cheek. “I’ll go see if I can get any groceries?” asking if Credence wanted privacy.

Credence exhaled softly and smiled at Newt, leaning into his touch. “Okay…” he pressed a kiss against Newt’s palm, “Thank you.”

 

It took a lot to press the call button. It could have been minutes or hours that Credence was staring at the number on his screen with his thumb hovering over the button. It shouldn’t have been this hard. He didn’t know why he was so nervous.

Yes he did.

Mary Lou could answer, and then what would he do? Just hang up? He’d know as soon as the person answered. She didn’t have to know it was him. His heart was thudding loud and hard and Credence kind of felt like he couldn’t breathe. He hurriedly pressed call, lifted the phone to his ear and held his breath.

“Hello?” 

Credence exhaled jaggedly relieved and felt tears prick his eyes, a smile splitting across his face. “Modesty?”

The person on the other side of the phone gasped, there was a pause, likely as she looked around for Mary Lou, “Credence??” she almost squealed into the phone.

Credence laughed, tears still in his eyes. He pushed his curls back, smile growing wider. “Yeah, yeah it’s me. How are you doing? Mother isn’t being too horrible to you, is she?”

Modesty hesitated a moment, “She was at first, right after you left.” Her voice lowered to a whisper, “She was so mad, Credence…She took it out on Chastity, mostly…but she always was the worst to you. She hasn’t been like that with either of us.”

Credence sighed in relief, “I’m glad she didn’t…get worse.” He said, feeling guilty that he’d left them to fend for themselves against her. “How is school? How are you? Chastity?” he asked.

“It just ended a few weeks ago. It was good, though.” Modesty said, chippering up again as she talked about what she’d liked about it. Credence listened to her with a fond smile, chin resting on his knees, watching the grass. She talked about friends she had made, a boyfriend that she’d secretly had. He wanted the call to go on forever, but he knew it couldn’t. It was risky enough talking as long as they were. If Mary Lou found out…

“Hey, is Chastity around, can I say hi to her too?” Credence asked when there was a lull in the conversation.

Modesty paused for a moment, “Yeah, one sec.” Credence could hear a bit of bustling on the line, chatter far enough away from the wall phone that he couldn’t pick up any of the words. 

“Credence?”

The teary smile was back, “Hey, Chastity.”

A pause. “You absolute asshole! We didn’t know where you went! We thought you might have been dead, Credence! Why didn’t you call sooner?” she was hissing it quietly into the phone, too scared of getting caught to be at the full volume she clearly wanted to be.

Credence could hear Modesty giggle in the background at the curse word.

“I didn’t want to risk getting you guys in trouble.” Credence attempted to amend. He knew he should have. “I sent the postcards though…”

“Postcards aren’t nearly the same! Call more often!” Chastity insisted.

Credence ducked his head, smiled, “I’ll call more.” He said softly, “I promise…I’m worried what will happen if ma picks up the phone.”

“Just hang up.” Chastity replied, confident enough in her answer that Credence knew it must’ve been advice she’d given to someone before. “Tell us about your adventures, though, Credence. Hurry, ma is out, but I don’t know for how long…you’ve been gone a year, what have you done?”

“Tell us about Newt!” Modesty chirped, voice near the receiver, they must’ve been trying to share it. “Who is he?”

Credence flushed and hid his face against his knees in embarrassment, “He’s…a friend…” he said vaguely, mind drifting to Newt’s mouth on his skin last night. He muffled an embarrassed groan. “He’s a good friend.” 

“Credence!” Modesty was practically whining at him.

“Is he your boyfriend?” Chastity prodded, a grin in her voice.

Credence spluttered, “Chastity!”

Modesty was laughing in the background, “He is!! He is! Credence has a boyfriend!” she sang.

“Guys!” Credence choked out, face burning.

Chastity laughed at that too, “We’re happy for you Credence, if you’re happy.”

Credence smiled a little, still hiding his face against his knees. “I am.” He admitted, “I am happy.”

“Good.” There was a bit of noise in the background, far off. Chastity sighed sharply into the receiver. “Ma is home. We have to go. Call again, Credence.”

“I love you.” Credence said quickly.

There was a pause and a soft huff, “Love you too.” And the line went dead.

**Author's Note:**

> When I first published Chapter 1 of Of Cats,[ blueboy ](http://archiveofourown.org/users/boyblue/profile) suggested Credence call home and learn about his mums reaction to him leaving a bit. This kiiiiind of does that. It's really short. I might do more with them if the motivation to comes from somewhere! Hope you enjoyed! It's totally unedited so I also apologize for any typos or places it doesn't flow great.
> 
>  
> 
> I also have three more in progress additions! One of which is even nsfw which i dont write very often. Hopefully I'll be able to update this again soon! Thank you for reading!


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